We had a great class with our CultureLink participants on Thursday. With a slightly older age group, the kids had no problem following along with a beat during our jams. We played a game during our rendition of Yellow Submarine where participants had to hit their drums only when I stomped my feet. I managed to fool them a few times, but I was very impressed with their rhythmic skills! Looking forward to our next class.
Today I had a smaller group which worked perfectly for the instruments of the week. I showed the Tibetan tingshaw bells (which are used for meditation and balancing of the left and right hemispheres of the brain) and the Nepalese singing bowls. The kids were fascinated by both and enjoyed trying to make them sound.
Today’s class started off a bit smaller while some of the kids had their dinner, which made the flow of things a bit strange. However, it’s always nice to be joined in the middle of a song by kids who know the words and can bring a fresh energy to the class. The post-dessert participation also meant that there was a lot of bouncing to be had (helped by a sugar rush, no doubt), followed by a sugar-crash that made for a very accurate Sleeping Bunnies. Things perked up again for the jam, and I didn’t have to remind anyone not to hit the drums with maracas this time, even among the very little ones!
This week was a loud one! With such a big class, I was surprised everybody fit, but the circle ended up quite well organized, with the youngest kids closest and the older siblings providing encouragement at the back. Though the size of the group is wonderful, sometimes it can be hard for the parents to participate with the kids when there are so many of them, which is why standing, dancing, and circle songs always do the trick of getting the kids and grown-ups engaged at the same time. Today’s big hit was the Hokey Pokey, with the grown-ups helping the kids find their lefts and rights. When they have more fun, everyone does!
Another great class at Robertson House this week! We had lots of fun playing with our Instrument of the Week, the tingshaw bells. Kids and parents alike were mesmerized by the sound of the bells as we passed them around and lifted them over our heads to feel the vibrations around us. The sound lasted for so long! We also had a great time dancing during our jam session at the end of class. Lots of great energy! Looking forward to our remaining classes!
Perhaps it’s the early winter sunsets, but everyone was a bit sleepy when I arrived at Ernestine. Jakey, one of the most enthusiastic kids, was out like a light until about halfway through the class. Though it took a bit of time to get everyone into the energy, the frog songs and wooden frog (Instrument of the Week) brought everybody’s focus back in. The kids shared the frog around the circle very well, and enjoyed making funny frog faces along with it.
Everyone had such great energy today. I brought animal week to Birkdale and they had a blast wearing the animal head bands and acting out their favourite animals during our circle song time. We finished off the class with a classic Bob Marley tune named Three Little Birds and The Lion Sleeps Tonight.
Today started off a bit chaotically, as the kids were calming down from their toy time before I arrived. At first it seemed like I would be fighting to hold their focus for the duration of the class, but Head and Shoulders Knees and Toes brought them all back. We sang Elephants Marching, and all the kids held hands as we walked around in a circle. They kept holding hands for Hello/Goodbye scales, and kept that same collective energy for the sharing of the bean bag around the room. It's a large group, but they work well together!
Wow! So much dancing at Robertson House today, including one 16 month old girl who came for the first time! It’s always encouraging to see that the kids have gained the confidence to stand up and dance during the jam session. They definitely have some great moves. Despite some latecomers, the class steadily grew to a large group today. Lots of parents too!
We had a great time with our CultureLink participants this week. Due to the weather the group was a bit smaller this time around, but parent attendance was great! I was very impressed with how quickly the kids grasped how to play our instrument of the week, the kalimba. One girl got a big round of applause when she played a full scale on the kalimba on her first try. Looking forward to more great classes!
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